THE government has placed youth at the center of its long-term economic strategy, revealing that citizens aged 15–35 now number 20.6 million and constitute over 55 percent of the national labour force.

According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, this demographic "bulge" represents the country's most significant workforce and a critical pillar for the National Development Vision 2050. In a shift toward proactive governance, the newly appointed Minister of State in the President’s Office for Youth Development,   Joel Arthur Nanauka, announced that the government will no longer wait for youth to visit regional offices. Instead, officials will meet young people in universities, rural centers, and on digital platforms to co-create solutions for employment and capital access.

This approach follows the president’s address to the 13th Parliament on November 14, 2025, which called for the accelerated implementation of youth-focused agendas. Under the CCM Election Manifesto 2025–2030, the government has set a target to create at least 8.5 million jobs over the next five years. To achieve this, the state is focusing on high-productivity sectors agro-business and fisheries: Increasing value addition throughout the production chain, the Blue Economy: Partnering with banks like CRDB and NMB to fund youth-led maritime and dairy projects and mining: Integrating youth into the mineral value chain through specialised training.

To address the "skills mismatch" often cited by employers, the government is utilising the Skills Development Levy (SDL) to fund on-the-job training and internships.  Additionally, the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) is streamlining procedures to attract labor-intensive projects.

Key financial and digital interventions include 30% Procurement Quota: Public regulations now allow youth, women, and persons with disabilities to claim 30 percent of government contracts, credit guarantee schemes: strengthening paths for youth without traditional collateral to access loans and youth digital one-stop platform: a new portal providing central access to job listings, training, and loan applications.

The President’s Office is currently upgrading three major development centres—Sasanda (Songwe), Ilonga (Morogoro), and Marangu (Kilimanjaro)—to serve as regional hubs for ICT, digital economy training, and practical vocational skills.

Minister Nanauka concluded his address with a call to patriotism and hard work, emphasising the national slogan: “Vijana Tuyajenge, Tanzania ni Yetu” (Youth, Let’s Build It; Tanzania is Ours). He reaffirmed that the government remains committed to working with the UN, private sector, and research institutions to ensure no young person is left behind in the journey toward 2050.